The Brazilians

July 12, 2015

Juliana Barbassa is a person I've known through the grapevine for years since she arrived in Rio as the Associated Press correspondent. I didn't meet her in person until two years ago, when I was in Rio at the tail end of the massive street protests. I was fascinated by her trajectory and her unique eye for reporting in Brazil.

Barbassa was born in Brazil, but grew up all over the world because of her dad's oil company job, living not only in Rio but also in Iraq, Malta, Libya, Spain, France, and the United States. She went to UT Austin for undergrad and to UC Berkeley for graduate school. She joined the AP in 2003, and became the AP Rio correspondent in 2010.

Back in 2013, Barbassa was kind enough to invite me over to her beautiful home in Flamengo, where I also met her dad and now-husband Christopher Gaffney, every Rio journalist's favorite curmudgeon and one of the top experts on global mega-events. We talked about the protests and the World Cup and Barbassa's career and what it was like to go from writing for a wire service to writing her first book. We also talked about her experience going to grad school for journalism, which in retrospect I credit her for inspiring me to do.

That meeting confirmed what I suspected: that Barbassa is someone special when it comes to understanding Brazil and being able to translate its cultural idiosyncrasies. She's able to capture the nuances of a native while also providing the perspective of an outsider.

And now, finally, you can see the result of Barbassa's hard work with her new book, coming out July 28. (Pre-order your copy of the book here.) Below, see my impressions of the book, my Q&A with the author, and when you can meet Barbassa during her book tour.

My Thoughts on the Book

Called Dancing with the Devil in the City of God: Rio de Janeiro on the Brink, the book explores what's been happening in Rio over the last few years in a way that I really think has never been captured as well as she does. The reporting is incredibly deep and thorough, from poring through documents to an exhausting number of hours spent in the field.

Overall, the book is exquisitely written, a blend of a memoir and some of the best reporting you will find on Rio de Janeiro. Some parts are heart-wrenching (see the chapter on the mudslides), and some parts are laugh-out-loud funny (don't miss the anecdote about the Mexican entrepreneur and how he got his Brazilian visa.)

Not only does she get into the nitty gritty of security, gentrification, evictions, environmental degradation, and mega-event preparation, but she digs deep into the history of Rio's ongoing conflict. She revealed things that were new even to me, including a Rio policy that helped drive killings by police.This book should be required reading for any journalist who plans on covering the 2016 Olympics.

And instead of devoting a whole chapter to 500 years of Brazilian history, as is common in English-language non-fiction books about Brazil, she elegantly weaves historical facts into the narrative about what's happening now. And when she explores historical sites few people even know about it, you feel like you're there with her.

Barbassa combines the reporting with her own story of living in Brazil and around the world, making it an even more intriguing read. (Warning: if you have ever lived in Brazil, her chapter on trying to find an apartment may give you PTSD flashbacks.)

And even though during her time in Rio she went from being single to getting married, her relationship isn't part of the book. For this I really admire her, since this is usually a big part of female-written memoir-style books. It's clear that her time in Rio was a personal journey about coming to terms with her birthplace.

What was the most surprising thing you learned while researching the book?

I was taken back by the early history of the Comando Vermelho. When I first became aware of the gang in the late 1980s, they were already a powerful, violent entity making headlines with boastful interviews, a cinematic prison escape, or bloody confrontations with police. But they had that motto, Peace, Justice and Liberty. It seemed incongruent.

Reading about the gang’s early days in the Ilha Grande prison from books like “Quatrocentos Contra Um” or Carlos Amorim’s “Comando Vermelho” made me curious about the environment that shaped these men and their aspirations. I sought out those who were there or remember that time, like the Professor, dug for old news clippings, and finally, searched what’s left of the uncategorized prison archives, trying to understand who they were, how they lived, what influenced their thinking.

In particular, I spent hours going through daily prison logs, fascinated by the the minutia of everyday life in this terrible place - who fought with whom, which prisoners were punished for smoking marijuana, gambling, fighting, what there was to eat, what each man brought with him when he came in, who got visits. Much of it was mundane and unvarying, but the accumulation of details made them, their needs, their cells more real.

I enjoyed most the occasional finds that came from from the hands of the prisoners themselves -- a crude playing card made from the page of an encyclopedia, part of a seized deck, that was stuck inside one of the thick log books; the letters from inmates to those on the outside. The best examples of those were in the little museum that now exists on the site of the demolished prison: they have missives written by gang members on the inside asking their ‘brothers’ for some help with the prisoners’ Christmas celebration. These things were reminders of a time when the Comando Vermelho was an entirely different creature.

Was there a part that got cut that you especially liked?

Of course! There were long sections cut out to streamline the story. Within them were characters who deserved whole chapters to themselves -- in another book. One of my favorites was the section about Flávia Froes, an attorney whose list of clients reads like a who’s-who of Rio’s drug traffic dating back to the 1990s. She dredges up references to class warfare to frame the conflict between the state and gang members convicted in horrific murders.

But she’s not a lefty, bleeding heart sort; she’s tough, and she plays her over-the-top Carioca sexy to the hilt. The first time we met she was picking her way around crack users in trash-strewn alleys wearing six-inch stiletto heels, rhinestone studded jeans and a corset, her long blond hair swaying down to the middle of her back. But when we made our way to the heavily-armed dealers standing guard over tables stacked with baggies of crack, they respected her: it was all, “yes, ma’am,” “no, ma’am.” What makes her interesting as a person, and as a character, is that you’re left wondering how far she would be willing to go -- how far she has gone -- for her clients.

During the days of chaos that preceded the take-over of the Complexo do Alemão, when someone was carrying orders from imprisoned gang leaders to their soldiers on the outside, a judge ordered her arrest. Forty officers and a helicopter were sent out, but she got wind of it and went on the lam without a computer or a cell phone, untraceable. Later the charges were dropped for lack of proof, and Flavia was back, jaunty as ever, but there are many who never got over their doubts.

How did the book-writing experience compare to your work with the AP?

Daily news has specific requirements -- you work under deadline, keep your articles short and to the point. That’s the nature of news. It often meant having to do grab-and-run interviews, leaving before the conversation got really interesting; other times it simply meant leaving much of the nuance out of the final article.

My motivations for writing this book were many, but at the core was a desire for more time to report and more space to write. This came, in part, from my relationship to Rio. I wanted to bring the city to readers, but I also wanted to get into it myself, really get into it. Covering the city as a correspondent gave me breadth of experiences; reporting the book allowed me to return to the same person or place and see various layers. It gave me depth.

What do you miss most about living in Rio?

Living with my windows wide open all the time, except when it stormed. But then I miss the spectacle of those extravagant summer downpours. Friends and family, of course, particularly my nieces and nephews. The açaí from Tacacá do Norte in Flamengo. All the fruit. And the fresh fruit juice. The sweet man with the white handlebar mustache who sold vegetables at the farmers’ market in front of my building, and greeted me with a hug and a kiss every week. Running on the sand. The weather. I even miss the heat!

June 28, 2015

Two years after she was supposed to travel on an official state visit to the United States, Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff is finally coming after all. While officials offered to let her reschedule the more formal state visit for next year, she opted for a smaller affair this month.

But will anything actually come out of this visit? Or will it end in fluffy memorandums of understanding?

One issue is that even when the two countries have inked major bilateral agreements, they sometimes take years to approve - or haven't even been approved yet. Last week, Brazil's lower house OKed a 2010 defense accord; the Senate approved it just days before the president left for the U.S. A 2011 aviation agreement that would eliminate a cap on flights between the two countries hasn't even been sent to Brazil's legislature.

Another issue is that the Brazilian government is focused on the economy and ways to drive investment. The U.S. government could play a role, but so could private investors that Rousseff will meet in New York and San Francisco.

Finally, one of the biggest agreements that Brazilians would want--eliminating tourist visas--is unlikely to happen soon, even though Brazilian officials reportedly plan to bring it to the table. Brazil has to meet a number of requirements before the U.S. will begin the process, and that could be even less likely during an economic downturn.

Nevertheless, some see the visit as a way to rekindle U.S.-Brazil ties and get the relationship back on track. So in an ideal world, what are some of the things you'd like to see the two countries do in the near future?

Here are some ideas:

Expand flights from the U.S. to more Brazilian cities. It's still expensive to fly from Brazil's southeast to the country's north and northeast, but there aren't always direct options from the U.S. to those areas, and sometimes require a stopover in São Paulo or Rio.

Figure out ways for both countries' tech sectors to work more seamlessly together. Tech companies are already collaborating, but they have lots of red tape and bureaucracy to deal with in both places.

Create more opportunities for young adults to work in both countries. It's a big, bureaucratic process to work in either country. It would be interesting to see a bilateral gap-year-style program allowing for more short-term work opportunities that don't rely on expensive companies or competitive fellowships.

Make it easier for academics and PhDs to work in both countries. There has been movement on this front, but there's more that could be done.

Eliminate tourists visas for both Americans and Brazilians. It will be a long process, but it stands to benefit many in both countries in the long run.

What would you like the presidents to discuss? What would you like to see the two countries do? Leave your comment here or tweet me at @riogringa.

May 10, 2015

Humans of New York has become a global phenomenon, with more than 12 million fans on Facebook, multiple book deals, and a partnership with the UN. Street photographer Brandon Stanton, the project's creator, inspired "Humans" pages around the world, from Paris to Tehran to Bangalore.

In Brazil, there are four major Humans spin-offs in Rio, São Paulo, Curitiba, and Recife, with several other smaller pages in those cities. I was curious to find out who's behind the Brazilian Humans projects, so I exchanged emails with the creators and team members of these pages.

I am 19 years old and I study journalism and performing arts. I am also a part-time English teacher and photographer, but I work as a freelancer.

I run the page with a friend named Bruna Fernandes, 18. She first created the page in mid-June last year and I joined a few months later. We met on the Internet and the page wasn't that popular back then, but we started to gain a lot of supporters all around the world and the media got interested which was very helpful to spread the word.

"'If you could give an advice for a large group of people, what would it be?' 'Do not stand still on the left side of the escalator.'"

Personally I have always been a very curious and caring person. I would always naturally talk to strangers anywhere I'd go. I remember being a kid sitting in the passenger seat next to my mom and watching all the people walking on the streets and riding the bus and just going on with their lives and I'd get so frustrated because I wanted to know where every single one of them was coming from, where they were going and how they were feeling. My friends thought I was weird because I would ask personal questions to the lunch lady or the doorman. So that need to know a little bit more was always there in me.

Then I discovered Humans of New York in 2011 and I became a huge fan. I wanted to create a similar page but I never had the courage. And then I met Bruna through Facebook and we met in person for the first time at a park where I took pictures of strangers with incredibly interesting lives. And that's how it went.

I have a few favorite stories but the one I will never forget is about a lady that has one of the warmest hearts I've ever known. And she was the one that first engaged a conversation with me.

"Everything was set for us to get married. We had been dating for 5 years, and the ceremony was going to happen in September. In June, he told me there was only a month left of his marriage with another woman. I only got out of this one having a lot of faith in God. I suffered a lot, spent years not dating anyone until I met my daughter's father. I lived with him for 10 years, until I got pregnant. She was born 'special.' Her father left me."Read the rest of the story here.

There's three of us on the team: Caio Queiroz, 20, a photographer and art director at HDRec; Carina Pereira, 19, a unversity student and creative director; and me, Carolina Magalhães, 19. I work in radio and TV production.

Caio deals most with the photography part, but the work of finding stories and transcribing them and updating the fanpage and keeping it active is a collective effort. We also have an Instagram.

Everyone who gets involved with the "Humans of" brand is a fan of the HONY phenomenon and it was the same for us. We were at my house, and Carina had shown me the original version of what would become our future project. We thought, "We could make a Recife version."

"When I was little and my mom died giving birth to my brother, we went to live with my dad. In this old house there was a door stop; one day my father came and told me to lie down with my head there; he wanted to kill me by hitting my head. But my sister came just in time and didn't let him. Nobody believes in me."

Plus, people in Recife love to talk, you know? (Even tourists who come here notice this, and it's really true.) For example, I'm at the bus stop with another woman and by the time the bus gets there, I already know the woman has three kids, is late to get an x-ray, has stuff to do at home and is so excited to see her granddaughter next weekend. People from Recife have this thing of loving to talk, to be friendly and involved.

The goal of Humanos de Recife - along with finding and showing stories - is exactly to try to remind people of this, to make sure they know more about their own city while seeing the city in a different way. Another thing that we wanted is to make it 100% ours, so when we chose the name, we decided to leave it in Portuguese and make it closest to how we talk.

I think the coolest thing we found was a guy who discovered at age 18 that he was adopted - in the most unique way possible.

"I was in the army barracks when I saw a person who looked a lot like me. Curious, I went to speak to him and he looked like a copy of me. When I went home, I told me mom I'd seen someone identical to me, and she turned to me and said: 'It's your brother.'" Read the rest of the story here.

*****

Humans of Rio de JaneiroSee the page on FacebookFollowers: 44,000Languages: English and PortugueseCreator: Eiran Kreimer

I'm 43 and I work in real estate which doesn't have anything to do with photography. There are two other people who run the page: Dominique Valansi, a journalist who specializes in photography and Fabio Minduim, a professional photographer.

When the New York page had a little over 30,000 followers, I decided to create a Carioca version in May 2012. Though it's based on the New York page, it tries to do something different with its own personality. Rio has unique local characters which should be seen in a different way than they're usually shown.

"Where is the cable car that used to pass by here?"

We've already published more than 1,500 photos and 80 videos. Sometimes a photo is marvelous and beautiful, and other photos are simpler and have a story with an impact. Some people who live outside the country prefer certain photos, while people who live here identify with other photos.

"They call me 'Di Chicken.' I live close to Central Station, and I pay R$650 in rent. In 2008, I ended up in a shelter, and since I never wanted to do anything wrong, they gave me that nickname. I'm a little late, I'm supposed to go gather cans with someone. That's my job, but I can walk with my head held high."

I'm 28 and a photographer. I studied web design and worked with electronics distribution until I decided to bet on, dedicate myself to, and deepen my knowledge of photography.

"Sir, will you take my picture too?"

As an amateur photographer, I went to downtown Curitiba and took a photo of a homeless man. I showed him the picture and he invited me to sit down and talk. He told me the story of how he ended up on the streets. This was my first contact with this type of photography. The same day, a friend showed me Brandon Stanton's Humans of New York project and I fell in love with the idea. So the next morning, Humans of Curitiba was born.

"I always enjoy biking. But what I really like is biking in this cool weather."

I decided to create something in my city when I saw that good messages could come out of stories of "strangers" and a different way of looking at how people see those around them, the people who share their space and society.

December 04, 2014

In an unprecedented move, São Paulo's mayor announced today that immigrants will be eligible and encouraged to apply for Bolsa Família, a Brazilian cash transfer program that began in 2003. Though earlier iterations of this welfare program existed previously, Bolsa Família is credited with helping to lift millions of Brazilians out of poverty over the last decade.

O Globo reports that up to 50,000 people could benefit from the new eligibility. São Paulo is home to at least 360,000 immigrants, though officials estimate that the total number including the undocumented could be as high as a million. Haitians and Bolivians are expected to be the largest number of beneficiaries.

To be eligible, immigrants must bring proof of registering as an immigrant or of asking for asylum, as well as a CPF, akin to a social security number. Like Brazilians, immigrants must make less than R$140 ($54) per person a month, and must keep kids in school and get them regular vaccinations. By signing up with the government's central registration system, immigrants will also be eligible for other government programs, like the housing program Minha Casa, Minha Vida.

"It's not charity; it's in the city's interest that these immigrants develop and produce to make São Paulo grow. And that's why it's necessary to give them the minimal conditions [to make that happen]," the city's human rights secretary told the media. The idea is also to prevent vulnerable immigrants living in extreme poverty from resorting to modern-day slavery conditions.

Though it's the first time there's been a concerted effort to give immigrants this benefit, foreigners have received Bolsa Familia in the past and have technically always been eligible under Brazilian law. According to Estado de São Paulo, over 6,000 immigrants were recipients in 2009, though the majority of those beneficiaries lived on or near Brazil's borders.

The move couldn't stand in starker contrast to what's happening in the United States, where Congress voted today to block the president's executive action on immigration. And even Obama's immigration announcement, considered extreme by some on the right, includes nothing about welfare or government financial support for immigrants.

November 17, 2014

When I wrote about some of the reasons Brazil's president should reschedule her Washington visit last week, I mentioned that Brazil had yet to crack the top 10 countries that sends university students to the United States. But the Institute of International Education just released their new statistics for the 2013-2014 school year, and there's good news: Brazil is now number 10 in the world of countries that send students to the U.S., with a 22.2 percent increase from the previous year. Brazilians now make up 2 percent of the foreign student population in the U.S., the same as Mexico and Japan, and close to Canada (3 percent). This is partially a result of the government's Science Without Borders program, which has provided nearly 75,000 scholarships for students to pursue advanced degrees abroad since 2011.

The flows in the other direction, however, are still lagging. The number of U.S. students studying in Latin America and the Caribbean rose only 1.8 percent in 2013; the number of students going to Brazil rose around 4 percent during the same period. There's potential for a bigger increase, though, as a new innovation fund launched this year will provide funding to encourage and fund U.S. study abroad in the Americas.

Besides defraying the costs of studying in both countries, one major factor is language. The Brazilian government realized what a big issue this was given challenges some students were facing once they got into classrooms abroad, and it's especially difficult for those who may not have been able to afford extracurricular language classes or bilingual school during their secondary education.

Just today, the government announced the launch of Languages Without Borders, a program like Science Without Borders that will offer scholarships for university students and professors to learn a foreign language online, and in some cases, in another country. The government had previously begun offering free online English courses last year. Now, Languages Without Borders will also provide opportunities for foreigners to learn Portuguese. As someone in college who was intimidated by having to take classes in Portuguese and opted instead to go to Spanish-speaking countries, I think Brazil is on the right track. Now the United States needs to follow its lead by doing more to provide better funding and support for foreign language learning, especially languages like Portuguese, Chinese, and Spanish.

November 15, 2014

Last year, in the wake of the National Security Agency scandal, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff cancelled her state visit to Washington. Now, after her reelection, some think there's a chance she may reschedule. Vice President Joe Biden has been a proponent of fixing the U.S.-Brazil relationship, meeting with Rousseff in Brazil in June and calling her after her election win in November, suggesting she reschedule her trip to DC. Now, she's set to meet with President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the G20 in Australia, the first time the two will meet after the spying scandal.

There are many reasons why the visit would be a good idea, and why it's ultimately in both countries' interest to repair ties. And there's of course the symbolic message the visit would send. But for Brazil's president especially, there are a few reasons that would benefit her during a time of political division and economic uncertainty.

Once Rousseff appoints a new finance minister, the U.S. private sector is going to be very interesting in seeing what he decides to do.

Brazil's economy has not been doing so hot recently, between sluggish growth and the largest monthly deficit on record in September. The president is expected to announce her new pick for finance minister any day now (reports said she was supposed to announce it before the G20), with the unpopular Guido Mantega on his way out. Financial markets and multinationals will be anxious to hear from the new pick, and if Rousseff makes the announcement soon, the new minister could also use the trip to talk to foreign investors.

Both countries are experiencing historic droughts that could use innovative solutions.

California and São Paulo--the most populous states and top GDP earners in each country--are experiencing historic droughts. Even though state authorities are working to address the issue in both countries, the water shortage has become a national issue in both cases. Even just talking about ways Brazil and the United States could collaborate on addressing droughts--and global warming, too--would be refreshing to see (no pun intended).

One way to mend fences in the wake of the NSA scandal is to work together on creating a more open internet.

This program, which awards scholarships to Brazilian students to study abroad, was launched by the president in 2011. It's a popular program that has seen fewer controversies than other government programs like More Doctors or Bolsa Familia. In Brazil, it's the type of program that appeals to both the PT base and the upper middle class who could otherwise afford to study abroad but are happy to take the government's money.

The United States is by far the top destination for Science without Borders students. Over the past three years, nearly 22,000 scholarships have been awarded to Brazilians to study in the U.S., compared to less than 9,000 in the UK and about 6,500 in France. Increasing student exchanges has been a popular topic for bilateral U.S.-Brazil talks and it's a politically safe area for Rousseff. Plus, the United States is always looking for more international students, and Brazil has yet to crack the top 10 countries who sends college students to the U.S.

The Workers' Party should recognize that the United States is a voter and constituent base.

Over a million Brazilians live in the United States, making it the home to the largest Brazilian expat community in the world. Around 112,000 Brazilians living in the U.S. were eligible to vote in the 2014 election. However, no presidential candidate campaigned abroad.

During the October vote, Aécio Neves won overwhelmingly among U.S.-based voters. In the second round, he won with 77 percent of the overall expat vote. But turnout was low; if implemented, alternate voting methods would allow those living far from polling stations to vote. Plus, if the government campaigned more among residents to change their voter registration, the number of eligible voters would likely rise.

Neves' win amid high abstention shouldn't be discouraging for the next election, but should rather be seen as an opportunity to galvanize voters. The entire expat voter base--which encompasses over 354,000 people worldwide--has been long neglected by presidential candidates and political leaders.

October 25, 2014

If there's one thing that this year's election will be remembered for, it's for the bitter divisions it has caused among Brazilian voters, in a way unseen since the beginning of redemocratization.

It hasn't just been the angry rhetoric between the candidates, including mud-slinging, insults, and casting the opposite candidate and party as the enemy. This certainly has helped drive what's happening, but there are other reasons voters' behavior has changed this time around.

During the election season, political arguments have become commonplace, with reports in the media about friendships ending and family spats over who to support for president. I've seen these arguments happening first hand on social media, too. There was even a physical scuffle between PT and PSDB supporters this week in São Paulo. Época profiled a number of people who'd had this experience, including one of the country's top comedians, Gregório Duvivier. After he wrote a column saying he would vote for President Dilma Rousseff, a man came up to him at a Rio restaurant and physically threatened him. “In Brazil, there's a lack of a habit in dealing with democracy, and we're not used to hearing others' opinions," he said. During the last debate, some Brazilians on Twitter reported hearing people cheering for their chosen candidate, like during a soccer game.

As I wrote earlier this week: "Political chatter has reached a fever pitch...It's been so bad that the Justice Ministry launched a social media campaign with the slogan: 'Don't confuse hate speech with freedom of speech.' One observer is even concerned that this polarization could persist after the election. 'Brazil is torn. Half on one side, half on the other. Someone will will by a slim margin. If the tone on the internet continues as it is, the path of the country is blocked,' wrote Globo columnist Pedro Doria. 'There will be hate among Brazilians. Searching for a civilized conversation is our first mission next Monday.'"

So why is this election so divisive? Here are a few theories.

PT fatigue: Many are tired of the Workers' Party after its 12 years in power, even some who previously voted for Lula and Rousseff. This is due in part to people getting tired of how the party operates, particularly when it comes to corruption, but is also partly due to the length of time the party has controlled the presidency. If Rousseff wins reelection, it could mean a better chance for the opposition to win in 2018. And if the president keeps her seat, she's going to have to address the fact that a significant portion of the country wants change in some capacity. There's a feeling among some that even though Aécio Neves is not a perfect choice--and may even end up with his own corruption scandals--anyone but the PT should be in the Planalto. This element of the race has exacerbated party tensions.

Class tensions: On the flipside, one of the PT's greatest achievements is reducing poverty and hunger. However, this is also what's driving politicial animosity. As the new middle class has grown, so has irritation and even bitterness among the traditional middle class and upper class that the former poor are now "invading" spaces that used to be exclusive to those with money, from airports to university classrooms. There's sentiment among some right-leaning voters that social programs like Bolsa Familia should be ended, but in a larger sense I think there are some who feel that the PT has exploited poverty-reduction efforts as a way to win votes. And because there has been such great success in reducing extreme poverty, some in the upper classes feel it's time to focus on a new agenda. That's what's helping drive more visible political participation among the wealthy during this election, such as the so-called "cashmere revolution."

At the same time, the PT has worked very hard during this election to maintain its biggest base, co-opting popular figures among low-income voters, from passinho dancers to famous singers. Some low-income voters are afraid that the PSDB would mean a return to more difficult economic times and a slide backwards in terms of social gains. The PT has played successfully on this fear through its campaign messaging.

Middle class demands: The PT's success in reducing poverty may also be a weakness in this election. Polls show that while Rousseff continues to dominate among low-income voters and those with lower levels of education, not all who have left poverty feel a sense of gratitude toward the PT. Instead, some have increasing demands of the government, such as the ones seen during last year's protests, like healthcare and transportation. Though the middle class has grown and the number of those living in poverty has declined, quality of life has stagnated for many, due to rising cost of living and crime, among other issues. As a result, new consumers are making demands as citizens, but PT party faithfuls sometimes see this desire for change as a betrayal, increasing tensions.

A shift in thinking about Brazil's direction: Recently, Brazilian historian Boris Fausto told Época: "After the country's redemocratization, there was a basic consensus in Brazil about how problems should be dealt with and alternation of power. Today that has changed. There's a head-on fight in which the adversary has become treated as an enemy or a neoliberal monster." Because Brazil has changed so much in the past three decades and as democracy has matured, there's been increasing polarization about how the country should be run and in what direction the country should go. Given how much progress has been made, there's profound disagreement about what comes next.

There's a part of the elite that sees Brazil as still being too "third world" and being hindered by outdated ideology and policies in efforts to make it a more important global player. Then there's a part of the left that sees a need to focus on domestic issues with the PT's social inclusion efforts incomplete, given problems related to public health, education, human rights, and other areas. And because of a greater conviction among voters about what direction they want the country to take, there's also greater animosity between the two sides, with anxiety about what will happen if the other candidate wins. Last night, Globo columnist Cora Ronai wrote on Facebook about why she wasn't supporting Rousseff, saying: "I have nothing against suicide. I just hate it when you drag me along with you."